California Governor Gavin Newsom has kicked off a storm of criticism with a new statewide shutdown order, mandating that bars and restaurants, among other businesses, halt indoor operations amid a surge in coronavirus infections.
Announced at a press conference on Monday, the new order requires that bars across California shut down altogether, while restaurants, movie theaters, zoos, museums and a number of other establishments must suspend all business activities indoors. In a number of counties on the state’s “monitoring list,” gyms, places of worship, salons, malls and other facilities deemed non-critical have also been forced to close down under the new rule.
“We’ve made this point on multiple occasions and that is, we’re moving back into a modification mode of our original stay-at-home order,” Newsom told reporters on Monday in explaining the mandate, adding that Covid-19 “continues to be a deadly disease.”
How about riots? https://t.co/wpgD7t1dL8
The new order – an extension of California’s stay-at-home edict brought in March, the first state to impose such a sweeping mandate – has triggered an avalanche of controversy, drawing countless netizens to condemn the shutdown as tyrannical and inept, many demanding that Newsom be removed from office over the decision.
RT if Gavin Newsom should be recalled & removed from office immediately for unconstitutionally shutting down California!
Gavin Newsom is going back to favoring Walmart over small businesses and places of worship. There is NOTHING fair or sensible about their rules. They are made to benefit the rich at the cost of the people during this time of crisis!#RecallGavin2020
They told us “two weeks to slow the spread” because we KNEW the virus wasn’t going away (basic biology), we we’re just going to make sure hospitals weren’t overwhelmed. HOSPITALS WERE NEVER OVERWHELMED. Now they want to lock us in until the election. I’m over it #RecallGavin2020
With some 7.5 million unemployment claims in California since March – making up only a fraction of the more than 50 million Americans thrown out of work nationwide amid the pandemic – a number of critics focused on the economic impact the new lockdown will bring, some suggesting business owners should simply ignore the order and continue normal operations. Others pointed out the disconnect between Newsom’s more accommodating stance toward mass protests kicked off by the police killing of George Floyd and regular day-to-day activities, like attending church or eating out, one sarcastically observing “Remember, Covid never attacks protesters and rioters…”
Shutting down California once again simply does not make sense to me.With proper social distancing and masking, businesses had adapted to a new way forward for now.Shutting down businesses once again will only lead to more economic despair and the problems that come with it!
I don’t own a business. But if I did & needed it to feed my family, no way I’d listen to @GavinNewsom. If everyone just defied the order & stayed open…what could he do? Police no doubt already despise him, & won’t enforce shit. #RecallGavin2020
Our esteemed Governor #Newsom is again ordering the closing down of countless business, churches, no in-person school etc. But feel free to gather in the streets thousands at a time. Remember, #COVID never attacks protesters and rioters…. ?♂️ #RecallGavin2020pic.twitter.com/Y2mE26EjRM
Despite the outpouring of criticism, a handful of netizens were in Newsom’s corner, some even repurposing the “#RecallGavin2020” hashtag to voice support for the embattled governor.
I #RecallGavin2020 had things well under control with COVID cases a while ago until the selfish “I won’t wear a mask because I’m a selfish toddler” and other reckless people ruined it for us. He’s a good governor for people who are actually patriotic and care about others.
This #RecallGavin2020 is from the same selfish incredibly stupid bunch who just had to brunch,beach,bar maskless & spread their infected droplets all over the state. You did this & now ur mad? Tough luck, jerks. The Gov is correct & protecting ur undeserving ass, so stop whining.
Long one of the harder-hit states, California has risen to the number-two spot in terms of total confirmed coronavirus infections, tallying more than 332,000 infections, making it second only to New York. Though the state was moving through a phased reopening, a new surge in cases has thrown that process into limbo, seeing a number of cities and counties reimpose lockdown measures even before Newsom’s more comprehensive order on Monday. To date, the US has counted in excess of 3.5 million cases of the illness and more than 135,000 fatalities, nearly 7,100 of them in California.
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